Damsel in Distress - Crashed Laptop

AllanL · Post by **AllanL** » 02 Jul 2007, 14:17

Now why did I think you'd read this? No, it's not one of Filonian's intellectually enlightening eruditions, my daughter has a problem with a Toshiba laptop that refuses to boot up - but is in danger of being jumped on from a great height by her.

To save her from losing everything after doing a master CD reload, I was hoping to daisychain her hard drive as a slave in a PC. This would allow me to access the files that she hasn't backed up (no I haven't either for too many months). Does anyone know if the connectors for laptop drives can be cabled up to a PC, and do they typically have a slave drive switch built in?

Apart from being just out of warranty, I am not sure which model of Tosh laptop she has - I suspect it is one of the Satellite range.

Quixoticish · Post by **Quixoticish** » 02 Jul 2007, 15:24

Laptop hard drives usually have a 2.5" connector and you can buy converters to change these to regular 3.5" IDE.

http://www.misco.co.uk/applications/sea ... rceid=2020

They usually do have jumpers like a regular hard drive so you should be able to set it to slave without problems, although if the pin assignments aren't labelled on top of the drive then you might have to do some digging on the Toshiba site.

ukmil · Post by **ukmil** » 02 Jul 2007, 15:42

secondly, you can purchase a simple external case, which you then plug into your Pc via USB, so saves messing about inside

EXAMPLE

AllanL · Post by **AllanL** » 02 Jul 2007, 20:33

Thanks for the links, I think I'll go with the external case for simplicity. I notice that they put a limit of 40GB on the case capacity. Is this a USB induced limit? I'd better check how large the drive to be poked about is below this limit.

Post by **TSR2** » 02 Jul 2007, 20:39

Hi Allan,

Best to check what type of hard disk is in it... there are two types of laptop hard disk, both are 2.5 inch in size, but the connector will be different. Older laptops will have a laptop PATA connector and newer ones tend to have SATA connectors....

What this means is that depending on the external case it will support one type or the other.

What model of Laptop is it and I can try and find out for you.

Filonian · Post by **Filonian** » 03 Jul 2007, 00:19

AllanL wrote:Now why did I think you'd read this? No, it's not one of Filonian's intellectually enlightening eruditions.

Just back from an F.O.S. Area Council meeting and thought I would catch up with the events of today before taking a dram and turning in.

Could not believe my eyes - ME uttering "intellectually enlightening eruditions?" My fellow members would have howled with laughter to read this!!

Sorry I cannot help on the technical side, but it appears that ther is plenty of advice rolling in for you Allan.

Now where's me malt - I feel in great need.

Graham

AllanL · Post by **AllanL** » 03 Jul 2007, 22:54

Well Graham, as your Pont Neuf expose shows, it all depends on your point of view - but enough cracks at the French.

The laptop is an Equium A100-549, which I am pretty sure comes with a 40GB hard drive.

After a day trip to Inverury, and nearly running out of fuel in Fettercairn in a cloudburst of apocalyptic proportions, I may seek a medicinal malt myself.

Post by **TSR2** » 04 Jul 2007, 00:47

Ho Allan,

These where effectively Satelites, bur given the Equium name as they were sold exclusively via PC World (maybe other DSG outlets too.) Unfortuatately the specs don't say if its SATA or PATA. One sure fire way to find out is remove the drive. If the connector on the end of the drive is a series of pins, its PATA, it its more a type of blade connector its SATA

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Damsel in Distress - Crashed Laptop

Damsel in Distress - Crashed Laptop

Re: Damsel in Distress - Crashed Laptop